Wire guide means for wire tying machine



Jan. 20, 1970 R, w. SMITH ETAL 3, 90,3 0

WIRE GUIDE MEANS FOR WIRE TYING MACHINE Filed Jan. 29, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Z7 Z z/en Z0 7 7 F0$erf Zfl SmZZ/Z B g 031K677 yzZaZdg,

Jan. 20, 1970 R w. SMITH ETAL 3,490,360

WIRE GUIDE MEANS FOR WIRE TYING MACHINE Filed Jan. 29, 1968 2 Sheets-Shem 2 FIELS.

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United States Patent 3,490,360 WIRE GUIDE MEANS FOR WIRE TYING MACHINE Robert W. Smith, Darlington, and Otto Reynolds, Browns Valley, lnd., assignors to Midstates Steel and Wire, a

corporation of Indiana Filed Jan. 29, 1968, Ser. No. 701,262 Int. Cl. A01f /14; B65b 13/28 U.S. Cl. 100-8 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Background of the invention This invention relates to a wire tying machine and, in particular, to the improvement in a wire tying machine of means for guiding the parallel end runs of wire prior to gripping and twisting of the runs after the wire has been wrapped around a package.

Bundles of newspapers and packed boxes are often held together or bound by a wire. The wire is wrapped around the bundle or package and the ends are twisted to provide a flat twist running in the direction of the wire. This provides a simple, yet effective means for tying the package or bundle securely.

There are currently numerous patents covering various of the wire tying machine since it must be shut down and realigned before operations can continue.

In addition, the aligning means in some prior art devices, operate dependently with and are driven by the twister mechanism. Minor wear causes the aligning means to become out of synchronization with the twister mechanism. Still another problem encountered occurs when the ends ofthe wire are too long. When this occurs, the ends of the wire may become bent and will not become properly engaged by the slot in the twister spur gear again necessitating a shutdown of the tying machine.

Summary of the invention In a principal aspect the present invention comprises the improvement in a wire tying machine of wire guide means for guiding the parallel runs or ends of the wire afterit has been passed around the package or bundle. Generally, the improvement comprises channel bar means adapted to receive the runs or ends of the Wire. The channel bar means are pivotally mounted on bracket means and may be pivoted up and down to engage or disengage the runs of the wire in synchronization with the operation of the remaining components of the tying machine.

It is thus an object of the present invention to provide an improved wire tying machine.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide the improvement in a wire tying machine of wire guide means.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide wire guide means which are simplified in construction and econmomical to manufacture in relation to prior art wire guide means.

One further object of the present invention is to provide wire guide means which can easily be synchronized 5 with the operation of the twister means of a wire tying types of wire tying machines; for example, U.S. Patent No. 3,060,841 granted Oct. 30, 1962 to P. A. Van de Bilt; U.S. Patent No. 3,179,038 granted Apr. 20, 1965 to T. B. MacKenzie, and U.S. Patent No. 3,251,296 granted May 17, 1966 to R. W. Smith. Typically in such a machine the package to be tied is moved along a conveyor onto a platform of the machine. A wire loop is then made to encircle the package with the ends of the wire loop passing beneath the platform underneath the package. The ends are properly aligned and finally guided into a twister mechanism.

The twister mechanism may be of the type shown in Van de Bilt or Smith, above, a spur gear with a slot passing partially therethrough. The parallel ends of the wire are slid into the slot and the spur gear is rotated several times thereby twisting the ends of the wire together.

After twisting the ends together, the wire is disengaged from the twister mechanism and guided through an opening in the platform where the tension of the wire causes it to snap tightly around the package. The package is then discharged and the next one positioned on the wire tying machine.

A necessary component of such wire tying machines is a means for guiding and aligning the ends of the wire as they are wrapped around the package or bundle prior to twisting. For example, such means may comprise an arrangement of springs and cams which act on a channel bar, the channel bar being adapted to receive the parallel runs or ends of the wire. It has been found, however, that wire guide and aligning means of this type are often inadequate because of the many moving parts required for driving and positioning the device. Thus after minor wear, the guide becomes unaligned causing complete disruption machine.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a wire guide means which may easily be incorporated with presently designed and manufactured wire tying machines.

These and other objects, advantages and features of the present invention will be more fully set forth in the detailed description which follows.

Brief description of the drawings In the detailed description which follows, reference will be made to the drawings comprised of the following figures:

FIGURE 1 is a cut-away perspective view of the im- 0 proved wire guide means for a wire tying machine;

FIGURE 2 is a side view of the improved wire guide means with channel means in a raised or first position;

FIGURE 3 is a side view of the improved wire guide means with the channel means in a lowered or second position; and

FIGURE 4 is an end view of the improvement of a wire guide means for a wire tying machine.

Description of the preferred embodiment While the preferred embodiment of this invention has been built and is described in relation to the Smith patent, previously cited, embodiments of the invention may be used with any similar wire tying device. Further, because wire tying machines of the type disclosed by Smith are well known in the art, the entire wire tying machine is not shown in the drawings.

It will be understood, however, that the machine includes a platform 12 as shown in FIG. 2 upon which a package or bundle, as at 14 in FIG. 2, may be positioned to be wrapped and tied with wire. The wire is looped around the package 14 by passing a single strand of wire through a first channel 16 in a channel bar 18, running the strand of wire up and around the package 14 and then directing the wire through a second channel 20 in the channel bar 18. The wire is provided from a lengthy coil of wire (not shown). After the wire is wrapped around the package 14, held in position by holding means (not shown), and tightly pulled up about the package 14, the channel bar 18 drops away from the wire.

Almost simultaneously with the dropping of the channel bar 18 from the parallel runs of wire, the parallel runs or ends of the wire (not shown) are inserted through the guide slot 22 of the twister means or mechanism 24 and gripped and twisted. After the parallel runs of wire are twisted, the wire is released from the guide slot 22 to pass through the opening 26 in the platform 12 and snap tightly about the package 14. The package 14 then is transported from the wire tying machine and a new package is provided for tying.

The twister mechanism, which is not a limiting feature of the present invention, is of the type which includes a spur gear 28 having a slot therethrough for receiving the parallel runs of wire. The spur gear 28 with the wire runs inserted therein is caused to rotate by a second spur gear 30 in FIG. 1 which is mounted on an axle 32. Axle 32 is drivingly connected to driving means (not shown). By rotating the parallel runs of wire in the slot of gear 28, the ends are twisted together. After twisting, the end of the wire loop attached to the wire coil source is cut by a cam actuated cutter bar, as at '34 in FIG. 2. The bar 34 is driven by the pivoted lever arm 36 which is in turn acted upon by the cam drive 38, cam drive 38 being synchronized with the rotation of the second spur gear 30.

The improvement of the present invention is the wire guide means. The function of the wire guide means is to provide a pathway for the strand of wire as it passes around the package which is to be bound. After the wire has been properly guided and positioned around the package, the wire guide means must necessarily be displaced from the parallel end runs of the wire so that the twister mechanism may operate to grip and twist the wire. To

accomplish this, the wire guide means is constructed to,

swing away and is also mounted on a movable carriage 40.

The carriage 40 is slidably mounted on rods 42 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 by means of guide blocks 44. The carriage 40 is driven into position along the rods 42 by means of cylinder 46 which is drivingly connected through rod 48 to the carriage 40. Also attached to the carriage 40 is the twister mechanism generally shown at 24. Thus, the twister mechanism and the wire guide means are both rigidly attached to the same carriage 40 and move in unison in the horizontal plane.

Extending vertically from the carriage 40 is a mounting bracket 50. The mounting bracket 50 includes at its top portion a pair of pivot mountings 52 and 54. A brace 56 is attached to the mountings 52 and 54. The brace 56 is freely pivotable about the axis through the pivot mountings 52 and 54. The brace 56 is rigidly connected to the channel bar 18. The end of a strand of wire (not shown) passes through the channel 16 around the package and then through the second channel 20 to thereby encircle the package.

Extending downwardly from the carriage 40 is a cylinder mounting bracket 58. One end of an air actuated cylinder 60 is pivotally attached to cylinder mounting bracket 58. The cylinder 60 includes a driving rod 62 extending from one end thereof. The driving rod 62 is pivotally connected at its free end to a flange member 64 extending from the lower portion of the channel bar 18. Air hose connections 66 and 68 are provided for the air cylinder 60.

When air is provided through air hose connection 66, the rod 62 is extended to its greatest length thereby forcing the channel bar 18 upward about the pivot point through the axis defined by the pivot mountings 52 and 54. This first position is illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. In

4 FIG. 2 the channel bar 18 has been pushed by the cylinder 60 and rod 62 to a position in contact with the platform 12. In such a relationship, the wire (not shown) may be threaded through the channels 16 and 20. The platform 12 insures that the channels 16 and 20 will be enclosed and that the wire will not escape or be misguided.

When air passes through the air hose connection 68, the rod 62 is withdrawn into the cylinder 60 and the channel bar 18 is lowered into a second position as illustnated in FIG. 3. Simultaneously with the lowering of the channel bar 18, the air cylinder 46 acts through the rod 48 to drive the carriage 40 to the right as illustrated in FIG. 3 so that the twister mechanism generally shown at 24 may engage the parallel runs of the 'wire strand and twist the parallel runs as previously described. The lowering of the channel bar 18 and the driving of the carriage 40 on the rods or rails 42 along with the driving of the twister mechanism generally shown at 24 are all synchronized with each other and with the positioning of a package 14 on the platform 12.

Following the twisting operation, the carriage 40 is driven to the left into the position illustrated in FIG. 3. As the tied package is discharge from the machine, a. new package moves into position on the platform 12 and the channel bar 18 swings up to the position shown in FIG. 2. The sequence of operations then continues as previously described.

There are several advantages to the presently claimed invention. The apparatus of the present invention has fewer moving parts than the prior art devices and is thus easier and more economical to manufacture. Since, the number of parts has been reduced, much less space is occupied by the apparatus of the present invention. In addition, the apparatus of the present invention does not rely upon springs and bushings which in prior art devices would easily wear out or fail causing misalignment or complete shut-down of the operation. In addition, less machining is required in the manufacture of the apparatus of the present invention.

The wire guide means of the present invention is mounted on the same carriage with the twister mechanism. This reduces sources of vibration since the number of independently moving parts has been cut down. This also provides for more accurate alignment and more adequate control over the operations of the mechanism. Finally, any excess wire extending beyond the ends of the channel bar 18 no longer tends to clog or stop the mechanics as was noticed in prior art devices.

What is claimed is:

1. In a wire tying machine of the type which passes a Wire loop around a package on a platform, said wire having opposite ends which make parallel runs, said machine including twister means to grip and twist the ends of said wire, said platform including an opening through which said twisted wire passes, the improvement of Wire guide means for guiding said parallel runs prior to gripping and twisting of said wires by said twister means, said Wire guide means including a channel means adapted to receive said parallel runs, mounting means including a movable carriage and a mounting bracket fixed to said carriage, said twister means also being fixed to said carriage, said carriage being movable to position alternately said channel means and said twister means in communication with said parallel runs, said channel means being pivotally attached to said bracket to alternately engage said channel means with said parallel runs and disengage said channel means from said parallel runs, and mens for driving said pivotally mounted channel means alternately to engage said parallel runs and to disengage said parallel runs.

2. The improvement of claim 1 wherein said means for driving said pivotally mounted channel means include an air cylinder with a movable drive rod, said rod being connected to said channel means to thereby move said channel means in response to said cylinder actuation.

3. The improvement of claim 1 wherein said channel means include a channel bar with a pair of channels parallel to said parallel runs, each channel adapted to receive a wire.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 6 FOREIGN PATENTS 245,689 7/1963 Australia.

BILLY J. WILHITE, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 100-31 

